Tower of Power
| Tower of Power | |
|---|---|
 Tower of Power live in Buffalo, USA (November 2008) |
|
| General information | |
| origin | Oakland , USA |
| Genre (s) | Soul , funk , rhythm and blues |
| founding | 1968 |
| Website | www.towerofpower.com |
| Founding members | |
| Emilio Castillo | |
| Stephen "Doc" Kupka | |
| Current occupation | |
Tenor saxophone, vocals |
Emilio Castillo |
Baritone saxophone |
Stephen "Doc" Kupka |
| Marc van Wageningen (since 2018) | |
| David Garibaldi (1970 to 1976, 1979 to 1982, since 1998) | |
singing |
Marcus Scott (since 2016) |
Keyboard, background vocals |
Roger Smith (since 1999) |
Tenor saxophone |
Tom E. Politzer (since 2002) |
Trumpet, flugelhorn |
Adolfo Acosta (since 2000) , Sal Cracchiolo (since 2011) |
| Jerry Cortez (since 2010) | |
| former members | |
bass |
Francis Rocco Prestia (1968 to 1977, 1984-2018) |
singing |
Rufus Miller (1968–1972) |
Tenor saxophone |
Skip Mesquite (1968-1973) |
Trumpet |
David Padron (1968–1972) |
guitar |
Willy Fulton (1968–1973, 1981–1988) |
singing |
Rick Stevens (1970 as guest, 1972/1973) |
singing |
Lenny Williams (1973-1975) |
guitar |
Bruce Conte (1973-1979) |
Keyboard |
Chester Thompson (1973-1981) |
Tenor saxophone |
Lenny Pickett (1972-1981, 1993-1995) |
Trumpet, flugelhorn , French horn
|
Greg Adams (1970-1995) |
percussion |
Brent Byars (1972–1974) |
singing |
Hubert Tubbs (1975-1976) |
singing |
Edward McGee (1976-1978) |
singing |
Michael Jeffries (1978-1986) |
bass |
Victor Conte (1978-1979) |
bass |
Vito San Filippo (1979–1982) |
Drums |
Ronnie Beck (1976-1979) |
Drums |
Mark Sanders (1982-1986) |
Tenor saxophone |
Mark Russo (1982-1986) |
Trumpet, trombone |
Lee Thornburg (1986-1995) |
Drums |
Mick Mestek (1986-1991) |
singing |
Ellis Hall (1986-1991) |
guitar |
Carmen Grillo (1988–1997) |
Drums |
Russ McKinnon (1991-1995) |
singing |
Tom Bowes (1991-1995) |
Keyboard |
Nick Milo (1991-1999) |
singing |
Brent Carter (1995-1999) |
guitar |
Jeff Tamelier (1998-2008) |
guitar |
Mark Harper (2008-2010) |
singing |
Larry Braggs (2000-2013) |
singing |
Ray Greene (2013-2016) |
| Mic Gillette (1968–1984, 2009–2011) | |
Tower of Power is a US radio - / Soul - band from Oakland , California , founded in 1968th
history
In the mid-1960s, 17-year-old tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo moved from Detroit , Michigan to Fremont , California. There he founded the band "Motowns", which mainly played soul. In 1968, Castillo teamed up with baritone saxophonist Stephen "The Funky Doctor" Kupka. The two musicians moved to Oakland and wrote their first songs together. They changed the band's name to "Tower of Power" and played frequently in the San Francisco Bay Area .
In 1970 Tower of Power signed a recording deal with Bill Grahams San Francisco Records and shortly thereafter released their first album, East Bay Grease . Bump City was released in 1972 and the gold- winning Tower of Power in 1973 , both of which led to the band's breakthrough.
Tower of Power has been releasing new records consistently since the 1970s and is still on tour regularly to this day. In terms of personnel, the band has constantly changed; this was part of the style of this group. At least 60 musicians have played with Tower of Power, toured and / or made records with the band. These included Saturday Night Live Musical Director Lenny Pickett , drummer David Garibaldi and bassist Rocco Prestia . Lenny Williams was the band's longtime singer.
The band's brass section became famous for collaborating on other artists' recordings. These included the Monkees , Carlos Santana , Elton John , John Lee Hooker , Rod Stewart , Jefferson Starship , Heart , Huey Lewis and the News , Little Feat , Lyle Lovett , Phish , Aerosmith , Rolling Stones , Eurythmics , Phil Collins , Toto , Klaus Location , Tom Jones .
Band members
Emilio Castillo
Emilio "Mimi" Castillo (born September 24, 1950 in Detroit , Michigan ) is an American saxophonist and composer as well as the founder of the band.
Stephen Kupka
Stephen "Doc" Kupka (born March 25, 1946, in Berkeley , California) is an American baritone saxophonist and composer. He is one of the founding members of the band and in 1998 founded his own music label "Strokeland Records".
Francis Prestia
Francis "Rocco" Prestia (born March 7, 1951 in Sonora , California) is an American bassist.
Lenny Williams
Leonard Charles "Lenny" Williams (born February 6, 1945, in Little Rock , Arkansas ) is an American singer. In the 1970s, he was the lead singer for Tower of Power. As a soloist he had several hit single (e.g. So Very Hard to Go ).
David Garibaldi
David Garibaldi (born November 4, 1946 in Oakland, California) is an American drummer. He is one of the co-founders of the band. After David Garibaldi had previously left Tower of Power, he rejoined in January 1998 and went on tour with the band.
Mic Gillette
Mic Gillette (* 1951 in California; † January 2016) was an American trombonist and trumpeter . He is known for his participation in the formations Tower of Power, Blood, Sweat & Tears , and The Sons of Champlin . Gillette's involvement with Tower of Power began in 1967. After a 25-year absence, Mic Gillette rejoined Tower of Power in August 2009, replacing Mike Bogart. Gillette died in January 2016 of complications from a heart attack .
Greg Adams
Greg Adams is an American trumpeter and arranger , best known for his arrangements and appearances for Tower of Power.
Discography
Albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 US
|
R&B
|
 CH
|
|||
| 1972 | East Bay Grease |
US106 (12 weeks) US |
- | - |
First published: 1970
Producer: David Rubinson |
| Bump City |
US85 (20 weeks) US |
R&B16 (19 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: July 1972
Recording: Trans Maximus Inc. Recording Studios Memphis, Tennessee Producer: Ron Capone, Tower of Power |
|
| 1973 | Tower of Power |
US15th  (31 weeks)US |
R&B11 (19 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: June 1973
Producers: Tower of Power, Emilio Castillo |
| 1974 | Back to Oakland |
US26 (35 weeks) US |
R&B13 (14 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: April 1974
Recording: Kaye-Smith Studios Seattle and Record Plant Sausalito Producers: Tower of Power, Emilio Castillo |
| 1975 | Urban Renewal |
US22 (16 weeks) US |
R&B19 (18 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: January 1975
Recording: Record Plant Sausalito Producers: Emillo Castillo, Tower of Power |
| In the slot |
US67 (11 weeks) US |
R&B29 (7 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: October 1975
Recording: Record Plant Sausalito Producers: Emillo Castillo, Tower of Power |
|
| 1976 | Live and in Living Color |
US99 (8 weeks) US |
R&B29 (6 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: May 1976
Live recording: Sacramento Memorial Auditorium and Cerritos College by Record Plant, Sausalito Producers: Emillo Castillo, Tower of Power |
| Ain't Nothin 'Stoppin' Us Now |
US42 (17 weeks) US |
R&B25 (9 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: September 1976
Producers: Emillo Castillo, Tower of Power, Alan Chinowsky |
|
| 1978 | We came to play! |
US89 (8 weeks) US |
R&B33 (6 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: April 1978
Producer: Steve Cropper |
| 1979 | Back on the streets |
US106 (12 weeks) US |
R&B28 (13 weeks) R&B |
- |
First published: August 1979
Producers: Emilio Castillo, McKinley Jackson, Richard Evans, Tower of Power |
| 1993 | TOP | - |
R&B92 (1 week) R&B |
- |
First published: April 1993
Producer: Emillo Castillo |
| 2018 | Soul Side of Town | - | - |
CH84 (1 week) CH |
First published: June 1, 2018
|
| 2020 | Step up | - | - |
CH98 (1 week) CH |
First published: March 20, 2020
|
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
More albums
|
|
Compilations
|
|
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
US
|
R&B
|
|||
| 1972 | You're Still a Young Man Bump City |
US29 (12 weeks) US |
R&B24 (8 weeks) R&B |
First publication: July 1972
Authors: Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka |
| Down to the nightclub Bump City |
US66 (8 weeks) US |
- |
First publication: September 1972
Authors: David Garibaldi , Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka |
|
| 1973 | So Very Hard to Go Tower of Power |
US17 (18 weeks) US |
R&B11 (13 weeks) R&B |
First publication: April 1973
Authors: Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka |
| This Time It's Real Tower of Power |
US65 (6 weeks) US |
R&B27 (11 weeks) R&B |
First publication: September 1973
Authors: David Bartlett, Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka |
|
| 1974 | What is hip? Tower of Power |
US91 (2 weeks) US |
R&B39 (16 weeks) R&B |
First published: November 1973
Authors: Stephen Kupka, Emilio Castillo, David Garibaldi |
| Time Will Tell Back to Oakland |
US69 (6 weeks) US |
R&B27 (13 weeks) R&B |
First published: March 1974
Authors: Stephen Kupka, Emilio Castillo |
|
| Don't Change Horses (In the Middle of a Stream) Back to Oakland |
US26 (10 weeks) US |
R&B22 (12 weeks) R&B |
First published: July 1974
Authors: Johnny Guitar Watson , Lenny Williams |
|
| 1975 | Only so Much Oil in the Ground Urban Renewal |
- |
R&B85 (6 weeks) R&B |
First publication: November 1974
Authors: Stephen Kupka, Emilio Castillo |
| Willing to Learn Urban Renewal |
- |
R&B77 (6 weeks) R&B |
First published: March 1975
Authors: Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka |
|
| You're so wonderful, so Marvelous In the Slot |
- |
R&B57 (8 weeks) R&B |
First publication: August 1975
Authors: Emilio Castillo, Frank Biner, Stephen Kupka |
|
| 1976 | You Ought to Be Havin 'Fun Ain't Nothin' Stoppin 'Us Now |
US68 (8 weeks) US |
R&B62 (9 weeks) R&B |
First publication: September 1976
Authors: Emilio Castillo, Hubert Tubbs, Stephen Kupka |
| 1977 | Ain't Nothin 'Stoppin' Us Now Ain't Nothin 'Stoppin' Us Now |
- |
R&B95 (4 weeks) R&B |
First published: December 1976
Authors: David Bartlett, Emilio Castillo, Stephen Kupka |
| 1978 | Lovin 'You Is Gonna See Me Thru We Came to Play |
- |
R&B98 (2 weeks) R&B |
First published: April 1978
Author: Clifford Coulter |
| 1979 | Rock Baby Back on the Streets |
- |
R&B61 (9 weeks) R&B |
First published: June 1979
Authors: Greg Crockett, Michael Jeffries |
More singles
- 1971: Sparkling in the Sand (release: January)
- 1975: It's Not the Crime (released April)
Participation in mixed sound carriers
- 1972: Lights Out: San Francisco (Voco Presents the Soul of the Bay Area) (with tracks by John Lee Hooker , Sylvester and the Hot Band, Fadil Shahin and the Casbah Band and Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks)
- 1972: Fillmore - The Last Days (with tracks by Elvin Bishop Group , Boz Scaggs , Grateful Dead , Santana and others)
Video albums
- 2003: In Concert: Ohne Filter (recording by SWR as part of the Ohne-Filter series from 1998)
- 2004: What Is Hip: Live at Iowa State University (concert recording from 1987)
- 2007: Live in Germany (concert on November 6, 2005 in Leverkusen)
- 2011: 40th Anniversary: The Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco
swell
- ↑ a b c gold / platinum database US
- ↑ TOP biography (English) .
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ a b Chart sources: Singles US CH
- ^ The Billboard Albums by Joel Whitburn , 6th Edition, Record Research 2006, ISBN 0-89820-166-7 .
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Hot R&B Songs 1942–2010: 6th Edition, ISBN 978-0898201864 .
Web links
- Official website
- Tower of Power at Allmusic (English)
- Tower of Power at Discogs (English)
- Discography at 45cat.com
- Tower of Power ongab-Essen-Radio.de ( Memento from September 30, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (archived at Internet Archive )